Shade-roller.



PATENTED JAN. 2l, 1908. T. POSTER. SHADE ROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17.1907.

QQ Y 53N 629i hwoozo AARON THOMAS FOSTER, OF CHILLIOOTHE, OHIO. i

SHADE-ROLLER.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

APatented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed April 17| 1907. Serial No. 368.637.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, AARON THOMAS Fos-` -of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade-Rollers, of whichl the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shade rollers `and has for its object the provision of a device of this character constructed in such manner that the shaft upon which the actuating spring is wound, will be held in perfect alinement with the remainder of the roller.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shade roller constructed in such manner as will simplify devices of this character and cheapen their cost of`manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows:

In theaccompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a shade roller constructed in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of said roller, Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon line Qc-O-nc` o Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrow, and, Fig. 4 is a transverse section upon line y-y of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a shade roller which has an annular recess 6 formed therein for a portion of its length. A bearingstud 7 having a pointed end 8 is integral with a bearing washer 9. This stud is driven into the roller at the end of the recess 6. A hollow shaft 10 is long i-- tudinally disposedwithin the recess and 1s split at 11 for the reception of the end 12 of a spiral spring 13, said spring surrounding the shaft 10. A collar 14 is secured upon the end of the shaft and the end 12 of the spring 13 passes through this collar. The stud 7 forms a bearing for the inner end of the shaft, as will be readily understood. A collar 15 is secured by a pin 16 upon the shaft 10. A plug 17 is driven into the outer end of this shaft and is provided ,with a flattened portion 18 which is adapted to engage in the usual slotted curtain fixture, not shown. A second collar 19 is secured upon the shaft 10 by some 1neans,not shown, such as soldering, brazing or pinning. This collar 19 has a smaller external diameter than the collar 15 and said collar 19 is slotted as at 2O (see Figs. 1 and 4) for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. A ferrule 21 is secured upon the end of the roller, either by tacks or screws, not shown, -or by forcing a portion of said ferrule which is preferably formed of thin metal,into the wood of the roller as is indicated at 22. A plate 23 is secured to this ferrule by pins 24 and a second plate 25 is secured by pins 26 to the plate'23. It will therefore be seen that the roller 5, plate 23 and plate 25 turn together, the plates 23 and 25 having their rotative bearing upon the collar 19. Pawls 27 are pivoted at 28 to the plate 23, these pawls being adapted to engage in the slotted-portions 20 of the collar 19. The end of the spring 13 is secured between theplates 23 and 25.

As is best illustrated in Fig. 4, the plate 25 is smaller than the plate 23 and is provided with ears 25 through which the pins 26 pass. The end of the spring passes between the smaller portion of the plate 25 and around behind the upper ear 25 (see Fig. 4). The end of the spring then passes around the f collar 19 and back to the point 20, the end of the spring being frictionally bound between these plates.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the shade, not shown, is drawn upon, the roller is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, at which time the pawls ride over the collar 19 without engaging in the slotted portions 2O thereof. This movement of the roller places the spring under tension as will be readily understood, for the vshaft 10 will be held against rotation by the flattened portion 18 of the block 17 which is secured to said shaft, being engaged in a slotted curtain fixture. The

roller will therefore be rotated bodily with relation to said shaft and since one end of the spring 13 is secured to said roller, it follows that this spring will be wound up or placed under tension. If the shade be released in such manner as to permit a very slow retrograde movement of the roller, the

uppermost pawl 27 will drop into the slotted portion 20 of the collar 19 to prevent further retrograde movement of the roller and to hold the shade at the desired height.

Thel operation of devices of this character, is so well known, that no further description with relation thereto is deemed necessary. The invention in this instance resides in the detailed structure by which a bearing of per- 'Y nary shade roller.

secured thereon that no casting of any kind is required and consequently the cost ofl a shade roller constructed in accordance with this invention is 4far below that of the ordi- In addition to this, the provision. of the bea-ring for the platesl 23 and' 25 upon the collarI 19 and the provision of the bearing-for the inner end of the shaft upon the plug 7, causes the roller to run in perfect ahnement.

From the foregoingdescription, it will 4be seen that the resent construction provides a rigid shaft wich exten-ds from thebearing lug 7 to the exterior of the shade roller. t has beenfound that where the shaft upon the interior of the shade roller and the membery that engages the bracket are made in separate pieces, with ajoint between them, the shaft soon becomes twisted out of alinement with the portion of the structure that engages the bracket and the shade roller consequentlyv does not run true.l

From the foregoing description., it willi be seen that simple-and eicient means` are herein jects o the invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that they in.-

vvention is notlimited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changesas-ma-y be made within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1,. The combination with a hollowy shade roller, of a bearing plug located at one end of said shade-roller, a shaft, the end of which is adapted to receive said bearing plug, a

fprovidedfor accomplishing: the ob- V spring surrounding said shaft, one end of which is secured thereto, and a collar secured to theo positeend of the shaft which is slotted for tle purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a-hollow shade roller, of a bearing plug located at one end of said shade roller, a shaft, the end of which is adapted to: receive said bearing plug, a spring surrounding said shaft, one end of which is secured thereto, a collar secured to the opposite end of the shaft which is slotted for the purposes set forth, and a plate which closes the end of theroller and. has its 'bearing upon said collar, said plate carrying pawls which are adapted to engage in the slotted portions ofsaid collar.

3. In a device of the character described, the combinationy with. a shade roller having a longitudinal opening formed therein, of a vbearing plug carried bysaid roller at the inner end of said opening, a tubular shaft the inner end of which is adapted -tohave its bearing upon' said vbearingV plug, a second plugdriven into the opposite end of the shaft and having a flattened portion, a slotted collar'mounted upon the exterior of said shaft, a plate mounted to turn with the roller, pawls carried by saidV plate which are ada ted to engage the slotted portions of the colflar,

and a spring one end of which is secured to the sha t and the opposite end of which-is secured to the plate.

4. A tubular shaft for shade rollers having a plug driven into one end thereof which is adapted'tol engage with a shade fixture and a collarsurrounding-said tubular shaft, said collar beingslotted as and for the purposes. set forth and pawls carried by the shade roller adapted to engage in the slots of the collar.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature` in presence of two witnesses. AARON THOMAS FOSTER.

` Witnesses:

H. T. RoBINs, ROBERT W. MANLY. 

